Pastor Gets Standing Ovation For Admitting Sexual Incident In TX

A "teaching pastor" at a Memphis megachurch received a standing ovation for admitting and apologizing for sexually assaulting a 17 yr-old twenty years ago.

A pastor at Highpoint Church in Memphis, Tennessee shocked his congregation when he admitted and asked forgiveness for a "sexual incident" that happened 20 years ago. Andy Savage is a pastor at the Highpoint Church in Memphis and went before his congregation to admit he sexually assaulted a 17 year-old girl back in Texas in 1998. When he admitted this and asked for the congregation's forgiveness, the congregation gave the man a standing ovation. The story has since gone viral after the apology, during the Sunday services, was streamed on the church's Youtube page. The pastor said he decided to come forward with his story and ask for forgiveness after the incident was brought up. The victim, Jules Woodson, brought the incident up and wrote about it on the website WatchKeep. According to Woodson, Savage gave her a ride home when he took her to a secluded wooded area, took his penis out and asked the girl for oral sex. Woodson also says Savage unbuttoned her shirt and touched her breasts.

After Savage admitted to his congregation about the sexual incident, he told the congregation that it was dealt with in Texas at that time. He told the congregation that his "repentance over this sin over 20 years ago was done believing God's forgiveness is bigger than any sin." To close his speech, he told the congregation,

'Any painful memories or fresh wounds this has created for anyone, I am sorry and I humbly ask for your forgiveness, I love you all very much."

After he finished, the congregation gave the pastor a standing ovation. Since then, the speech has gone viral online with many criticizing the congregation's response. See the video above. His speech begins at the 16 minute mark.